Death of a Judo Master

[MarkF]

I have just received word that Kenneth Kuniyuki-Sensei has passed away. He was approximately 93 years old and was the highest ranked Kodokan judoka in the USA.

I have to call one of his long time students (since before WWII) to get more detailed information such as services.

I had known Mr. Kuniyuki-sensei from my days on the shiai circuit in Southern California (1963 on).

This is a giant loss to the Nanka Yudanshakai (he was a founding member) and to judoka everywhere. Mr. Kuniyuki was bumped to sandan by Kano Jigoro-Shihan personally when he was still in Seattle (Seattle Judo club which is still active in the same building now owned by a Buddhist temple across the street from it).

I was out of town for a couple of days, but just got word when I opened an email.

I'll tree to call about him later this morning, or in the evening, but will post what I find out. His student does not have Internet access.


Mark

[Charlie Kondek]

Thanks, Mark. No doubt EJMAS will do some kind of story on him, too?

Remember that scene in "The Dark Crystal" where the mystic's apprentice shows up to visit the oracle, and the oracle says, "Where is your master?"

"Dead," says the gelfling.

"Dead?" replies the oracle, looking over her shoulder. "Could be anywhere then."

[MarkF]

Charlie,
Thanks for the pickmeup:)

Joe has a day job now so I am calling to get some information for a very diserving obit or to at least call Joe again. I had known Mr. Larry Kobayashi, as well, who phoned Joe and left the message. I'm sure Mr. Kobayashi-sensei called for that reason.

There is a lot of history in the late old man:) He was Mister Kobayashi's teacher and still was up to his death. Kobayashi-sensei is where I've received some of the simplest, but most outstanding advice on judo, the teaching and of the fighting. I often quote one thing I almost overlooked while talking on the phone with him, but managed to write it down -- "Use what you know"--I wonder where he got that now?

He was a student of Kuniyuki-S. from before the war, and last I spoke with him, he made it clear with this "Mr. Kenneth Kuniyuki is still my teacher."

It is like the teacher who made his impact felt. I may have learned the basics from one, but it was the next and last who put the principles and basics into perspective, almost always by either saying nothing, or with "you feel the problem, feel when it is not a problem anymore," too."-Tokuo B. Ota-sensei, 1907 to 1989.


Mark

[Guts]

That is a giant loss. I remember you telling me how Shiro Oishi was one of Kuniyuki senseis students. The lineage was right there for me, I was amazed how close it was to the founder of Judo.

Although I know really nothing of Kuniyuki Sensei, I have to say it's a giant loss. I guess you would call him part of the "Old guard". To lose someone like that, no matter what their age is a blow.

My sincere respect to him and his family.

[MarkF]

I just spoke with Mr. Larry Kobayashi who made it a point to tell me (repeated a number of times over the years) that Kuniyuki-Sensei was his teacher for seventy (70) years.

I passed on the respects from the hoards of people who felt as both of you and who post here :( and from my own students, whom I kept up to date about his health and age, had my teacher concerning the same with Mifune Kyuzo.

He also made sure to correct me, when I "asked" if it weren't true that Mr. Kuniyuki had received his sandan from Kano in Seattle. "Yes, that is true, but he actually received it from Kano in Japan, after being bumped in Seattle by Mr. Kano." Always polite down to the last person.

I still haven't asked about funeral arrangements or services, as he really sounded down. I didn't push it. There will be a nice obit on http://ejmas.com .

Your words have been passed on in advance, and anyone who wants to say something personal to him write me offline or PM me and I will make sure he gets them.

It is only three generations from the founder, but Mr. Kuniyuki was special. Cantankerous in his older years, but he was a very nice man who loved his students very much. Of course I wish now that I cared about such things then, but I never thought to ask him about his past, or his student Larry Kobayashi, but I knew Kobayashi a little better.


Regards,
Mark

[kusanku]

Two matters of interest-I beleive he was Wally Jay;s Judo teacher who gave him the inspiration for creating small circle jujitsu, and I think he was the same Ken Kuniyuki who taught James Cagney his judo as well.

[Joseph Svinth]

I thought it was Mits Kimura who worked with Wally Jay?

Be that as it may, I talked with Mr. Kobayashi this evening, and the funeral services will be in Lil Tokyo this Saturday. And yes, I asked for copies of obits and eulogies for publication at EJMAS.

Meanwhile, mentions of Mr. Kuniyuki (1910-2002; 9-dan through the Kodokan) in online material by me can be found at:

http://www.michionline.org/fall00/page14.html (Seattle Dojo)

http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_svinth_0702.htm (Iizuka)

http://www.kanosociety.org/articles_2.htm (Kano in North America)

http://ejmas.com/jalt/jaltart_svinth1_0300.htm (Nisei in sport)

http://ejmas.com/jcs/jcsart_svinth_0202.htm (Sumo)


Mentions in stuff I didn't put there:

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/blackbelt/1970/jan70/jud.html (BB, in passing, on wrestling and judo)

http://www.blackbeltmag.com/archives/blackbelt/1963/feb63/1stnatlcollegiatejudo/1stnatlcollegiatejudo.html (BTW -- Lee Parr, SJS? Originally from Kent, Washington, high school judo club. Sawyer of SJS was also from Kent club. George Wilson was the Kent judo coach in those days.)

http://www.aikidojournal.com/new/article.asp?ArticleID=101 (Don Angier. Okay, EJMAS put it online, too, but it was originally AJ's. We have pictures, though!)

See also Jim Yoshida's book, "The Two Worlds of Jim Yoshida" and my JAsianMA article on the Tentoku Kan dojo.

And yes, Mr. K was indeed the judo instructor at Manzanar, where the Hollywood folks went for judo lessons. See http://ejmas.com/jalt/jaltart_Keelaghan_0900.htm . When you watch the movie, watch for Philip Ahn, who was of course the Kung Fu abbot 30 years later.

[Joseph Svinth]

RE: Sensei Kuniyuki's funeral

Time/Date: 10:00AM Saturday, December 14.

Location: Tentenary Methodist Church
300 Crenshaw Blvd., LA CA


Sincerely,

Ed Shiosaki
President, Nanka Yudanshakai

[MarkF]

It was either Philip Ahn (I'm pretty sure it wasn't) or the blind abbot, Keye Luke...Now that I've just remembered his name, it is almost definitely Keye Luke who had a restaurant in Van Nuys or Panorama City, San Fernando Valley, Ca. Basically, the same place, different postal. He seemed to be in a lot of early movies as well, and had a busy, if not stellar career for the time.


Mark

PS: It is certainly difficult to keep up with who is in charge of Nanka these days. Every time I hear of a President it is different.

[MarkF]

Another announcement just made by the USJF on the passing of Kuniyuki-Sensei:

http://www.usjf.com/news2002/kuniyuki.html


We are saddened to inform you that Mr. Kenneth Kuniyuki passed away on November 28, 2002, after a brief illness. Kuniyuki Sensei was 92 years old.

Kuniyuki Sensei was the 2nd person to be awarded 9th Dan by the USJF.

Funeral services will be held at:


Saturday, December 14, 2002
10:00 AM
Centenary United Methodist Church
300 S. Central Avenue
Los Angeles, California


Donations to the family may be sent to:


Kuniyuki Family
c/o Seinan Judo Dojo
17503 Patronella Avenue
Torrance, CA 90504


Please distribute this information to all interested parties and
individuals.


This was submitted by Robert Fukuda


Mark

[Brian Griffin]

I'm very sad to learn of the passing of Kuniyuki sensei. I still remember him at the Seinan tournaments in L.A. when I was a "pre-teen" and he was probably a mere 7-dan (!)

He will be missed.


Originally posted by kusanku
...I beleive he was Wally Jay;s Judo teacher who gave him the inspiration for creating small circle jujitsu...
I believe you're thinking of Kenneth Kawachi.